Assiqnoe



Oct. 25, 1932. H. B. HULL 1,883,919

MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR Filed Nov. 12, I926 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 73 $8 44 1 37 n V A? 7 44 28 V, (a i 35 Q Q 4 4, 47 3 3 ,2 47

Oct. 25, 1932. H. B. HULL 1,883,919

MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR Filed Nov. 12. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/ 462:? D: gnuwnto'o 37 4 5 V1 19'- V, 35% Aq-wu 1 w GU01 u e Oct.,25, 1932. B, HULL 1,883,919

MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR Filed Nov. 12 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I mo 7 b i Oct, 25, 1932.

H. B. HULL 1,883,919

Filed Nov. 12, 1926 as? gas [I I 7 7087 M, k 8? f y P TBJAM $313 ATM,

Oct. 25, 1932. H. B. HULL MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR Fild Nov. 12. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 $31 A A-vwm, VO' M,M 6'11 W GU50: Hu k Oct. 25, 1932. HULL 1,883,919

MECHANI CAL REFRIGERATOR Filed Nov. 12, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 W T M 53%; W MM Q J Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY B. HULL, OI DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, BY IESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO IIBJZGIDAIBT? C RPORATION, A GOBPORATION OF DELAWARE mnomroan REFRIGERATOR Application med ll'o'vember 12, 1926. semi No. 147,882.

The resent invention relates to medianical re ri erators and more particularly to the house old type of refrigerator having a cooling unit or evaporator located within a food compartment and connected with refrigerant circulating apparatus located wholly outside the food compartment.

' ing apparatus, parts of which are carried on opposite sides of the wall. This wall is carried intermediate the ends of a box-like cabinet and thus divides the interior of the cabinet into compartments for food and refrigerating apparatus, said compartments,

beifig insulated from one another by said wa a A further object of the invention is to provide for the circulation of apparatus cooling air in and out through one wall of the cabinet in order that the cabinet may be placed near the walls of a. room or such furniture as would tend to obstruct circulation.

Another object of the invention is to construct and arrange the elements of the refrigerating apparatus whereby the interconnected elements, which are located on opposite sides of the wall and are to be interconnected will be located directly opposite one another in order to simplify such connec tions.

Another object isto provide for the maximum space available for articles of food while maintaining the external dimensions of the cabinet relatively small, and main- .taining simplicity of cabinet construction.

In carrying out this object, the cabinet is constructed so as to provide a box-like refrigerating compartment adapted to receive a cooling unit which is coextensive with one wall of the cabinet and extends a relatively short distance from said wall of the refrigerating compartment. A partition which is arranged parallel to said cabinet wall divides said refrigerating compartment into a compartment for said cooling unit and a boxshaped food compartment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide by a simple and economical construction for the quick freezing or congealing of water or other substances while maintaining the food compartment substantially at normal tem erature.

Further ob ects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved refrigerator;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view with the refrigerator door-open, showing the cooling unit;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the top cover removed;

Fig.4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 ofFig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6, 8 and 9 are sectional views taken oFn lines 6-6, 88 and 99, respectively, of

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side view of the front end of the cooling unit and is shown partly in section, the sectional part being taken on line 10-1O ofFig. 4;

Fig. 11 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a controller unit for the refrigerator; and

Fig. 12 is asectional view taken on line 1212 of, Fig. 11. i

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a box-like structure 20 comprising a refrigerating compartment 21 and a machine compartment 22. These compartments are separated from one another by a wall 23. A cooling unit 24 is carried by and below the wall 23 and extends within the refrigerating ried by and on the top of said wall 23. A fan 36, rear front rail 39, side rails, one of which is shown 28 is carried by the motor shaft and is adapted to circulate air through the machine compartment 22 for cooling the condenser 27, the compressor 25 and motor 26. A thermostat 30 is connected to the rear of the cooling unit 24 and is responsive to the temperature thereof. The thermostat is operatively connected with a switch 31 for starting and stopping the driving motor 26 in response to the temperature of the cooling unit 24. The entire refrigerating apparatus, the partition wall 23 and the control unit comprises a sub-assembly which can be assembled as such, before inserting same into the box-like structure 20 or can be removed as such from said structure 20.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the structure 20 includes frontposts 35 and 37 and 38. A frame comprising at 40, and rear rail 42, is secured adjacent the bottom to said front and rear posts. A frame comprising front rail 43, side rails 44, and rear rail 46, is secured to the front and rear posts intermediate the top and-bottom of the posts. Rails 47 and 48 are secured, respectively, along the posts 35 and 36, and between upper and lower frames, and a rail 49 is disposed along rail 39. Rails 47, 48, 49 and 43 provide a door frame having a door opening 50. A door 51 is adapted to close said opening and has a sheet metal sheath 52. An

open-top and open-front metal -lining 54 is suitably secured to front rails 47, 48 and 49, and to the top rails 44 and 46. Insulating material such as corkboard 55 is arranged between posts 35 and 37 and along one side of lining 54. A similar corkboard 56 is arranged between posts 36 and 38 along the opposite side of lining 54. Corkboard 59 is provided between the bottom of lining 54 and the bottom frame, and the back of said lining is covered with corkboard 60. Posts 61 and 62 are secured to and arranged parallel with posts 37 and 38. By arranging posts 61 and 62 as shown, rectangularly-shaped corkboard without off-sets may be used. A sheet metal front 64 covers the front of the boxlike structure 20 including the machine compartment 22. Front 64 is flanged inwardly at the door opening 50. Sheet metal sides 65' and 66 cover the entire sides of structure 20 and a sheet back 67 covers the back of compartment 21. A separate sheet-metal back 68 is provided for the back of machine compartment 22. Strips 69 cover the adjoining edges of said sheet metals.

The refrigerating apparatus for cooling the compartment 21 is constructed as a subassembly which can be attached to and removed from the structure 20 as a unit. The sub-assembly includes the partition wall or base 23, comprising front rail 71, rear rail 72 and side rails 73 and 74, said rails being L-shaped in cross-section. Insulatin mate- 'rial such as corkboard 75, is dispose within material, such as felt 76, are disposed betweensaid frames to seal same.

Angleirons 78, spaced from one another by blocks 79 and extending across the base frame of the apparatus, are secured with the blocks 79 to t e side rails 73 by screws 80. The compressor 25 is secured adjacent the ri ht side of the structure to the irons 78 by bo ts 81. It will be noted. that the mountin lugs 82 for the compressor 25 are located jacent the horizontal plane of the crankshaft 83 of the compressor. By mounting the compressor as shown and described, vibration tending to be created by the operation of the reciprocating piston will be minimized. The crankshaft 83 of the compressor 25 carries a flywheel 84 which'is driven by the motor 26 through a motor pulley 85 and belt 86.

A motor mounting plate 87 is provided with slots 88 and bolts 89 extend through said slot and into irons 78 for adjustably securing the plate to the irons 78, the motor 26 is secured to the plate 87 by bolts 90. By means regulate the tension of belt 86.

Condenser 27 is oblon in plan view and comprises a plurality 0% vertical] from one another for the p of air erethrough. The condenser 27 is disposed transversely with respect to the axis of the motor 26 and compressor 25, and provides a side guard for the pulley 85, belt 86 and flywheel 84. Condenser 27 is carried by brackets 92 su ported by base 23 and is arranged aralle with the front 64. Series of louve openin .93 and 94 are provided in the front 64. Air circulatin fan 28 carried on the motor armature sha causes .air to circulate throu h the machine compartment 22. The circu ating air is drawn through openings 94 and expelled through openings 93. Some of the circulating air entering com artment 22 will pass transversely over .the condenser. Bly arranging for the entrance and exit of air t rough one wall of'the condenser cooling com artment, the back and either one or both sides of the structure can be placed against walls,-while still providing for circulation. Thus the refrigerator may coil loops spaced 'of the slots 88, the motor can be shifted to Ill ' expelled from said compartment through openings 93, all the air circulating through the compartment must pass over the condenser 27. i

The top of the condenser 27 is connected with the outlet 98 of the compressor and the lower loops of the condenser are disposed relatively close to one another and these lower loops function as a receiver for the condensed refrigerant.

Cooling unit 24 comprises an oblong freezing coil 100 adapted to receive a sleeve 101 which is in thermal contact with the loops of said coil. Sleeve 101 receives trays 102 arranged side by side and in the same horizontal plane. These trays are adapted to receive substance to be frozen or congealed. An air cooling coil 103 is spaced from coil 100 and is herein shown as surrounding said coil 100. One end of coil 100 is connected by an expansion valve 104 with the lower end of condenser 27. One end of coil 103 is connected with the low-pressure side of the compressor 25. The other ends of the coils 100 and 103 are connected together. Thus a closed circuit is provided including compressor 25, condenser 27, valve 104, coil 100 and coil 103.

An insulating wall or shield 106, comprising a horizontal portion 107 and oppositelydisposed and substantially vertical portions 108 and 109, is located between coils 100 and 103. The purpose of wall 106 is to prevent the flow of air about the freezing coil 100 as will be explained. Metal strips 108a are suitably secured on the bottom side of base or partition wall 23 and the loops of coil 103 are clamped between these strips and strips 109a by bolts 110. The coils 100 and 103 are maintained in the desired relation by spacing brackets 111 suitably secured to the front and back of sleeve 101. A lug 113 is formed integrally with a portion of the expansion valve 104 and screws, one of which is shown at 114, secure said lug and likewise said valve to the sleeve 101.

A partition 115 divides the refrigerating compartment into a food compartment 116 and a cooling compartment 117 containing the cooling unit 24. Partition 1l5includes an L-shaped wall 118 having a leg 119 arranged along one side of unit 24 to provide a passage 120 from the food compartment to the cooling compartment, the outlet of the passage being adjacent the top of coil 103. The horizontal leg 121 of wall 118 is located directly below unit 24 and provides a passage 122 on the opposite side of the refrigerating compartment, the outlet of said passage being adjacent the bottom of unit 24. A drip pan 123 is carried by leg 121 and insulating material 124 is disposed between pan 123 and leg 121. The insulating material 124 insulates the leg 121 from the unit to prevent condensation on the bottom of 'said leg. An extending portion 125 is provided on the bottom of partition 115 and a drain pipe 126 is connected therewith.

Partition"115 also includes a front 127 suitably secured, as by soldering, to the wall 118. The entire partition 115 is removably secured in position by screws 128 and 129, and knurled nuts 130. The screws 128 are fastened to the strips 108a and the screw 129 is fastened to the back portion of lining 54.

The cold air from cooling compartment 117 will pass downwardly through passage .122 and circulate through the food compartment 116 and the warmair will pass upwardly through passage 120 into the cooling compartment. Air entering adjacent the top of unit 24 will flow along the side of coil 103 adjacent leg 119 and cooled by that portion and then along the bottom of the coil.

Air will also pass over the top of coil 103 and then flow downwardly to the passage 122. The warm air flowing into the cooling compartment will not come in contact with coil 100. The insulating walls 106, 107 and 108 impede thermal exchange between the air circulating in the food compartment and the coil 100. Any air which may flow downwardly between parts 108 and 119 is cooled while passing over the side of the coil 103 to such an extent that the small quantity of air which comes in contact with the bottom of coil 100 will not heat said bottom materially. The horizontal portion 107 has the additional function of directing the air horizontally over the entire coil 103.

Ordinarily, the coldest portion of an evaporator is that port-ion adjacent the expansion valve. T herefore, the unit 24 is arranged so that refrigerant flows first through the coil 100 and then through coil 103; and, by insulating coil 100 from the circulating air, the temperature of coil 100 will be considerably lower than that of coil 103. Thus water may be readily frozen within the ice trays 102. That portion of the coil 100 which normally tends to attain the coldest temperature, namely, that adjacent the expansion valve 104, is placed adjacent the front of the cabinet. In this manner, the front portion of coil 100 tends to remain coldest, whereby, when the door 51 is open for the purpose of inserting or removing food from the food compartment 116, the temperature of the freezing coil 100 will not rise to such a degree so as to permit the substance in the trays to thaw. During the freezing or congealing period front of the sleeve 101 and trays 102 substantially the same temperature as other portions of said sleeve and trays, even thou h the door 51 is frequently opened, thus tendin to freeze or congeal all the substance wit in the trays at the same time. The coil 103 tends to maintain the front portion of the cooling chamber 117 at the same temperature as the rear. The rear or last loop of'coil 100 is com nected with the front or first loop of coil 103 by pipe portion 132 (see Figs. 4 and 8) That portion of coil 103 which normally tends to attain the lowest temperature is located at the front portion of the cooling chamber 117. Thus the front portion of the cooling chamber and, therefore, the front portion of the sleeve 101 and trays 102 are maintained at substantially the same temperature as the rear portion, even though door 51 is fre quently opened.

The horizontal portion 107 of insulating wall 106 is provided with beads 131 which space portion 107 from coil 103. In this with contact 148 when the bearing 151 and manner, a quantity of ice can collect on the coil which ice maintains the sleeve cold during that period in the refrigerating cycle when the compressor is inoperative, also, said ice forms an insulating wall for coil 103.

With the arrangement of elements as shown, in which the condenser 27 is located adjacent the front wall above base 23 and the expansion valve 104 is located within the refrigerating compartment 21 adjacent the front wall whereby it can readily be adjusted, it is necessary to provide only a short pipe portion 133 for connecting the condenser 27 and valve 104. Likewise, since coil 103 ends at the rear thereof only a short pipe portion 134 is necessary between said coil and the compressor 25 which is located directly above the end of said coil.

Switch 31 comprises a base 136 including legs 137 which are secured to base rails 72 and 74 in a suitable manner and includes araised platform 139. A frame 140 is secured upon the latform 139 and is provided with upwar ly-extending ears, one of which is shown at 142 carrying a pivot pin 143 which pivotally supports a contact lever 144. Frame 140 is also provided with an upwardly-extending notched car 145 which extends through an opening 146 in lever 144 and is adapted to limit the movement of the latter. Lever 144 carries a contact 147 which is arranged to engage a contact 148. Contact 148 is carried by a spring blade 149 which is secured to platform 139. A pin type bearing 151 is carried by platform 138 and an adjustable pin type bearing shown as a screw 152 is carried by lever 144. A coil spring 153 the ends of which support socket members 154 receive bearing 151 and screw 152. Spring 153 normally tends to maintain contacts 147 closed screw are on one side of their dead center position or tend to maintain the contacts open when the bearing and screw are on the side of their dead center position.

The opposite end of lever 144 is notched on the top and bottom thereof to receive pin point bearings 155 and 156. Upper bearmg 155 is carried by a plate 157. A frame is carried above platform 139 and includes uprights 158 and 159 secured at their lower ends to said platform and at their upper ends to a plate 160. Plate 160 is screw-threaded to receive an adjusting screw 161 which bears against a plate 162. A sprin 163 is interposed between plates 162 and 15 and normal- 1y tends to move bearing 155 downwardly to rotate lever 144 in a clockwise direction to separate contacts 147 and 148.

A plate 164 is carried on the underside of platform 139 and is spaced therefrom by a ring 165 which ring and plate 164 are secured to the platform by screws 166 and provide a housing 167. A pressure-responsive device 168 including diaphragms 169 and 17 0 are disposed within housing 165. Diaphragm 169 is provided with a downwardlyextending circular flange 171 which telescopes wlth an upwardly-extending circular flange 172 on the diaphragm 170. These flanges are suitably secured to one another, as by soldering, and are prevented from bulging outwardly by a tightly-fitting ring 173. Diaphragm 170 receives a coupling 17 4 which extends through and is secured to the plate 162 by a lock nut 175. Coupling 174 receives a pipe 176 which is connected with the bulb 30.

Bulb 30, pipe 176 and device 168 contain a volatile fluid and the diaphragm 169 is moved upwardly and downwardly in response to the pressure within the bulb 30. A plate 177 rests upon diaphragm 169 and carries the bearing 156 which extends through an opening 178 in platform 139.

As the pressure within bulb 30 increases, the pressure-responsive device will tend to rotate the lever 144 counterclockwise and when the pressure attains a certain value, the lever will move screw 152 beyond the dead center position with respect to hearing 151 to close contact 147 with contact 148. When the pressure decreases spring 163 tends to rotate lever 144 clockwise and when the pressure attains a predetermined low value, screw 152 will be moved beyond its dead-center position with respect to pin 151 and thereby quickly separate contact 147 from contact 148. The resiliently-mounted contact 148 is ada ted to maintain engagement with contact 14 until screw 152 and pin 151 are moved beyond deadcenter position, at which time the spring 153 will quickly separate same. The tension of spring 163 can be adjusted by screw 161 for regulating the pressures at which said con'- tacts are opened and the spring 153 can be adjusted to increase or decrease-the diflerential between the pressure at which the contacts close and the pressure at which the contacts open.

The switch 31 and bulb 30 constitute a unit which can be assembled as such, tested, adjusted, and inserted or removed from the refrigerator as such. An opening 180 is provided in the insulation 75 of base 23, through which the bulb 30 and pipe 17 6 are inserted.

This opening is then filled with a removable insulating material 182 such as kapok. The bulb 30 is removably attached to the back of sleeve 101 by a bracket 183 secured to said sleeve by screws 184. By placing the bulb in contact with sleeve 101, the bulb is not only responsive to the temperature of the air in the cooling compartment 117 but is also responsive to the temperature of the substance to be cooled. Thus, when substance to be cooled is placed within the trays, the relatively warm substance will heat the sleeve and thereby heat the bulb 30. The pressure of the volatile liquid in said bulb will increase and close the contact 147 and 14.8 which cause the motor 26 and likewise the compressor 25 to start. Likewise the bulb 30 is responsive to the temperature of the air in compartment 117. When the temperature of the bulb attains a certain low degree, due to the cooling of the sleeve 101 and the surrounding air, switch 31 .will operate to stop the motor 26. If the substance within the trays is still relatively warm, it will again increase the temperature of the bulb to such a valueto start the motor 26. The refrigerating apparatus will operate over a longer period because the substance in the trays tends to maintain the bulb warm; also, the refrigerating apparatus will operate more frequently when it is desirable to cool a substance within the trays because the bulb is in good heat-conductin re lation with said substance. Since the re rigerating' apparatus will operate a greater length of time and will operate more frequently, the substance will be cooled quickly.

The entire refrigerating apparatus including the cooling unit 24, the compressor 25, motor 26, and condenser 27, also the base 23 and also the control for said apparatus including the switch 31 and bulb 30, comprises a sub-assembly. The box-like structure 20 and the refrigerating apparatus can be constructed as subassemblies and then assembled. In this manner, the refrigerating apparatus can be tested without assembling same in the cabinet. By utilizing the base 23 as a partition wall the cost of manufacturing the cabinet as well as the apparatus is materially reduced. The frame and the metal walls of the refrigeratingcompartment comprise the frame and walls of the machine compartment. In this manner the construction of the structure is simplified.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim 1. In combination, a cabinet, one wall of which being open for the ingress and egress of air, a refrigerator condenser disposed within the cabinet adjacent said open wall, and means within the cabinet for moving the entering air in a horizontal stream about a portion of said condenser and in one direction and for moving the outgoing air in a horizontal stream about another portion of said condenser in the opposite direction, said streams lying in substantially the same horidenser 1n the opposite direction, said streams lying in substantially the same horizontal plane.

3. In combination, a cabinet, one wall of which being open for the entrance and exit of air, an elongated refrigerator condenser arranged substantially parallel with said wall and within the cabinet, and means disposed with respect to said open wall and condenser so as to cause air to flow transversely and longitudinally over said condenser.

4. In combination, a cabinet, one wall of which being open for the entrance and exit of air, an elongated refrigerator condenser arranged substantially parallel with said wall and within the cabinet, a compressor operatively connected with the condenser, a fan, and a motor for driving said compressor and fan, said fan being disposed with respect to said open wall and said condenser and said motor and compressor so as to cause air to circulate about the compressor and motor and to flow transversely and longitudinally over said condenser.

5. A refrigerator comprising, a refrigerating compartment, a cooling unit, means exterior of the compartment for circulating a refrigerant medium through said unit includ ing a compressor and a condenser disposed on one side of the compressor, a controller for said means disposed on the opposite side of portion having a part spaced from the freezing portion, and means for directing the flow of air longitudinally about said cooling portion and for protecting said freezing portion from the circulating air.

7 A refrigerator comprising, :a cabinet having an insulating wall; a cooling unit within the cabinet; means exterior of the cabinet for circulating a refrigerant medium through said unit; and a controller comprising a switch mechanism disposed outside of,

the cabinet for controlling said means, a temperature responsive device within the cabinet, and means extending through said wall and connecting said device with the switch mechanism, said controller being arranged as a unit and said device being removable through said wall without disconnecting same from said switch mechanism.

8. A refrigerator comprising, a rectangular shaped refrigerating compartment, a relatively flat cooling unit occupying substantially the major portion of the top of said compartment, said cooling unit lying in the path of air circulating within the compartment and having ducts providing a freezing zone portion and ducts providing a cooling zone portion, the ducts of the cooling zone portion being disposed horizontally and lying outwardly and directly above said freezing zone in the path of the circulating air and a shield between the ducts forming said freezing zone and the ducts forming the cooling zone.

9. In combination with a cabinet, a cooling unit adapted to be placed in the path of the circulating air within the cabinet, said cooling unit having a freezing zone portion, said portion having a part lying adjacent relatively warm circulating air, a shield for said part, said freezing zone portion having an exposed part lying more remote from the relatively warm circulating air, said cooling unit I also including another portion, a part of the second-mentioned portion providing a cooling zone, said part lying outwardly of the shield for precooling the circulating air before it comes in contact with the shield, said second-mentioned portion having another part providing an air-cooling zone adjacent the exposed part of the freezing zone.

10. A refrigerator comprising a box-like structure open at its top and having insulated side and bottom walls, vertical outer metal panels for said insulatedwalls, said panels extending in the samevertical planes above the top of said insulated walls and forming an u per machine compartment, a removable partition. wall for. closing said open top, a refrigerating system mounted on said partition, said system including anevaporator on one side of said partition and a heat dissipating unitvon the other side of said partition, said partition wall and said refrigerating system being removable as a unit from said cabinet.

11. A refrigerator comprising a box-like structure open at one end and having insulated side walls, vertical outer metal panels for said insulated walls, said panels extending vertically in the same planes beyond said open end formed by the termination of said side walls, forming a machine compartment, a removable partition wall for closing said open end, a refri crating s stem mounted on said partition wa 1, said re rigerating system including an evaporator mounted on one side of said partition and a heat dissipating unit on the other side of said partition, said partition and system being removable as a unit.

12. A refrigerator comprising a box-like structure having fixed continuous vertical metal side walls extending substantially from top to bottom of said structure in the same vertical planes, said structure including an insulated storage compartment within said side walls and a machinery compartment beyond said storage compartment, a removable partition separating said storage compartment from said machinery compartment, :1. refrigerating system carried on said partition, said system including an evaporator on one side of said partition and within said storage compartment and a heat dissipating unit on the other side of said partition wall and located within said machine compartment.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

HARRY B. HULL. 

